Tag Archives: David Valdes

Apr 11

Not a boy, Not a girl, Just a plain old baby: “The Great Reveal”

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The Cast. Photo by Mark S Howard.

Presented by Lyric Stage Boston
By David Valdes
Directed by Bridget Kathleen O’Leary and Charlotte Snow
Intimacy Choreography by Shira Helena Gitlin
Featuring: Paige Clark, Arthur Gomez, Jupiter Lê, Antonia Turilli 

Lyric Stage of Boston
140 Clarendon St,
2nd floor, Boston,
MA 02116

Running Time: 90-100 minutes with no intermission.

Critique by Kitty Drexel

“Fudge, Fudge,” traditional, a folk hand clapping/jump rope song
Fudge fudge, call the judge
Mama’s had a baby
Not a boy, not a girl
Just a plain old baby…

BOSTON – David Valdes’ The Great Reveal is a period piece about a socially distanced gender reveal party gone wrong. Lexi (Paige Clark) is seven months pregnant and wants every detail of her party to be picture-perfect for Momstagram. Her loving, mostly attentive husband Christopher (Arthur Gomez) supports her as much as he can, but Lexi is intense, and fatherhood is scary. Enter Lexi’s workaholic, commitment-resistant brother Linus (Jupiter Lê) and his forgiving, intelligent girlfriend with a medicinal hookup, Dosia (Antonia Turilli, who looked stunning in general but wore the hell out of a purple dress and matching necklace [costume design by E. Rosser]). Continue reading →

Apr 30

“Mermaid Hour”: A Tender Tale, Not Quite for Our Times

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Photo by Molly Shoemaker.

Presented by Moonbox Productions
Play by David Valdes
Direction by Bridget Kathleen O’Leary
Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland
Lighting Design by Deb Sullivan
Costume Design by E Rosser
Composition by Kai Bohlman
Sound Design by Kai Bohlman and Anna Drummond
Dramaturgy by Wenxuan Xue
Featuring: Brenny O’Brien, Phil Tayler, Monica Risi, Alex Goldman, Clara Tan

April 26 – May 19
Arrow Street Arts
2 Arrow St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Tickets here

Article by Maegan Bergeron-Clearwood

Content advisory for transphobic language such as misgendering, as well as mature content such as swearing, references to anatomy, and sexual activity. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — In the early 2010s, when Mermaid Hour was written, trans visibility was on the rise and Internet discourse was largely concerned with pronouns and representation. In David Valdes’ play, Pilar and David are searching for information about terminology and puberty blockers to support their trans daughter, Vi. Their efforts are earnest; they make mistakes; then they learn and adjust and move on. They love their kid, and that’s enough. Continue reading →

Jan 27

Climate Terrors: “The Last Catastrophist”

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Evelyn Holley as Marina and Shanelle Chloe Villegas as Lucia (L to R). Photo by Paul Fox.

Presented by Fresh Ink Theatre Company
By David Valdes
Directed by Sarah Gazdowicz
Dramaturgy by Sarah Schnebly
Fight choreography by Marge Dunn

January 24 – February 8, 2020
Plaza Black Box Theatre
Boston Center for the Arts
Boston, MA
Fresh Ink on Facebook

Critique by Kitty Drexel

Boston, MA — The opening of The Last Catastrophist coincides with a news update saying that the current president will repeal Obama era environmental protections for streams, wetlands, and groundwater. Repealing these measures is a step backwards from preventing the devastating effects of climate change on US lands. What small matter is clean, public drinking water so long as his precious golf courses are green? One can’t possibly spend one of every five working days golfing on his private business estates without golf courses greener than envy.

Water is life. Continue reading →